Grainger investment partner for Build to Rent programme (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: With a 49/51 equity share split between TfL and Grainger plc respectively how will any Mayor of London guarantee that the land on any previous TfL site is maximised for the public interest in the years ahead?

The Mayor: Connected Living London (CLL), the partnership between TfL and Grainger, has a Strategic Business Plan which governs how the partnership acts and identifies objectives including the delivery of quality rental homes. There is equal representation throughout the governance structure, meaning that TfL and Grainger plc have an equal say on how each site is developed and managed. This partnership means TfL can share in the long-term revenue created while leveraging Grainger’s unique experience as the largest build to rent landlord in the UK.
TfL will retain the freehold of all the sites to ensure that it retains standard landlord controls and protections.

TfL Grainger investment partner for Build to Rent programme (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: What is the expected annual revenue for TfL through its appointment of Grainger plc as its investment partner for its Build to Rent programme, broken down by each of the eight locations listed in the TfL press release of 1 April 2019?

The Mayor: In 2019 Transport for London (TfL) appointed Grainger plc to be its investment partner for its Build to Rent programme. The programme currently includes seven sites: Arnos Grove, Cockfosters, Southall Sidings, Limmo Peninsula, Montford Place, Nine Elms, and Woolwich.
TfL is procuring a different development partner for Hounslow West using the London Development Panel 2, and this site will provide 100 per cent affordable housing.
The partnership between TfL and Grainger plc, known as Connected Living London, will deliver more than 3,000 homes for rent across London, of which 40 per cent will be affordable.
TfL’s latest estimate forecasts that the total programme will generate around £13m per year from 2026.
TfL and Grainger plc are working on a site-by-site Business Plan. When this work is complete, TfL will be able to release the forecast annual revenue it expects each site to generate.

Violence Reduction Unit

Shaun Bailey: What outcomes do you expect from the Violence Reduction Unit by the end of your mayoral term?

The Mayor: I am proud of the work the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) has been doing to drive forward our public health approach to tacking violence. Over the past year the VRU has consulted with and listened to communities about what they view our key challenges to be across London, and what needs to be done.
The Unit’s year one funding programme has invested in expanding after-school provision, youth workers working in hospitals, young people affected by domestic violence and programmes to reduce school exclusions and has allocated £8.8 million additional investment to Local Authorities to develop local Violence Reduction Plans. Drawing on public health expertise, each of these areas of investment have a developed set out outcome measures and Key Performance Indicators. Furthermore, the London Violence Reduction Unit, along with 17 other VRU’s across England and Wales, receives funding from and will be evaluated by the Home Office.

Segregated Cycle Routes

Navin Shah: Following MQ 2018/0641, can you update me on how much segregation there will be on each of the six cycle routes you announced in January 2018? Please provide details of how long each route will be and how long the segregated route will be.

The Mayor: I am pleased to confirm that I have now tripled the amount of protected space for cycling in London since 2016, ahead of schedule. The amount of protected space for cycling in London that is either complete or under construction has reached a total of 162km – more than triple the amount compared to May 2016.
Transport for London (TfL) continues to make great progress in expanding the Cycleways network in London, including the launch of the first four new ‘Cycleways’ in summer 2019, with new routes from Elephant and Castle to Burgess Park, Enfield Town to Palmers Green, Whipps Cross to Millfields Park, and King’s Cross to Kentish Town, providing 20km of new cycle routes. Construction is also currently underway for a number of other Cycleways, including Cycleway 4 and Cycleway 9. Consultation is currently underway for protected space for cycling in Streatham Hill, and recently concluded for protected routes between Greenwich and Woolwich, Rotherhithe and Surrey Quays, and along Lower Road.
Of the six routes announced in January 2018, significant progress has been made, with public consultation having taken place in 2019 for the routes between Hackney and the Isle of Dogs, Lea Bridge and Dalston, Ilford and Barking Riverside, and the first phase of the route proposed between Rotherhithe and Peckham. Construction on the first sections of these routes is planned to start this year.
The routes include significant sections of protection, including:
Public consultations on the other two routes from Wembley to Willesden Junction and Camden to Tottenham Hale are expected to take place later this year. The total lengths of the routes and proportion of segregation are evolving as part of the phased delivery approach for the routes, with some sections in earlier stages of design development. Further information on protection will be available as design of the routes progress, but both routes will include substantial proportions of protected space for cycling. I have asked TfL to keep you updated.

VRU Spending

Susan Hall: How much has been spent by the VRU, broken down by Borough?

The Mayor: In its first year England’s first ever Violence Reduction Unit is investing £15 million into programmes to help prevent the spread of violence. Every area of London has benefited from this investment.
We have concentrated additional funding specific to areas most affected by violence. The priority programmes where intervention work is particularly specific to a borough area include:

Bakerloo Line

Navin Shah: Please advise on the programme for new carriages on the Bakerloo line. How many new coaches are planned on this service and when do we expect to have them operational? Also, my constituents would like to know what refurbishment programme you have for the old carriages which are in poor condition?

The Mayor: In 2019 Transport for London (TfL) completed a programme of structural repairs on all 36 Bakerloo line trains, in order to ensure their continuing safe and reliable operation.
This included replacing the floor covering on all trains, as well as reupholstering all of the seating.
TfL is now carrying out works to improve the accessibility of Bakerloo line trains. As part of this work, TfL is introducing wheelchair bays, additional grab rails, low level passenger emergency alarms, and upgrades to both visual and audio passenger information systems. TfL will further improve the passenger environment by installing an improved lighting system. The fleet improvement programme will be completed by the end of 2021.
TfL remains committed to fully upgrading the Bakerloo line, which includes replacing the trains. TfL will continue to work with the Government to make the case for long term investment to support TfL’s vital pipeline of renewal work.